Cultural Competency - Multicultural Health Generalizations: Asian Indian
Asian Indian End-of-Life Beliefs and Practices
The cultural background of many Asian Indian elders often influences end-of-life care beliefs and practices. For instance, older Asian Indian patients are more likely to practice family-centered decision making rather than making healthcare decisions alone. Sometimes family members may ask the physician not to tell patients their diagnosis or other important information. Many patients believe that suffering is due to karma (law of cause and effect), which is inevitable. Some Asian Indian patients prefer to die at home, and hold rituals and practices specific to their cultural beliefs. For example, a dying patient may wish to be moved to the floor with an idea of being closer to the Mother Earth. Furthermore, when close to death, family members are often present in large numbers. With these cultural beliefs and practices in mind, providing privacy to the patient and family during end of life would allow for the rituals to be performed.
Source: Alagiakrishnan, K., and Chopra, A. Health and health care of Asian Indian American elders. (Online). Stanford University. http://www.stanford.edu/group/ethnoger/index.html
